1. Technical Field
This invention relates to child seats and, more particularly, to a vehicle child seat for allowing a child and an adult to interchangeably occupy a common seat area.
2. Prior Art
By way of background, it is becoming increasingly desirable for automotive vehicles to provide a child restraint seat disposed integrally in the adult passenger seat for restraining a child in the vehicle. It is further desirable to provide a child seat which folds or collapses to a storage position as part of the adult passenger seat such that the adult seat maintains its usefulness and yet the child seat is readily accessible. Virtually all automotive passenger type motor vehicles are now equipped with safety belt restraint systems for physically restraining the seat occupant when the vehicle is subjected to a high rate of deceleration which may occur, for example, during a motor vehicle collision.
While such conventional safety belt restraint systems are well suited for restraining adult passengers, it is a common practice to use a portable (i.e., “add-on”) child restraint seat having a belt-type harness for children under a given age and weight. As is known, such portable child seats are placed on top of the vehicle seat and secured thereto using the existing vehicular safety belt restraint system.
In an effort to minimize the inconvenience associated with installing and/or stowing portable child seats, some automotive passenger type motor vehicles are now available with seating arrangements that have a “built-in” or integral child restraint seat integrated into the backrest of an otherwise conventional seat. When the child seat is stowed, the seating arrangement accommodates an adult in a normal seated position while preserving the overall cosmetic appearance and comfort of the vehicle seat. When needed, the integral child seat can be deployed by rotating a seat member to a lowered operative position and elevating a headrest member to a raised operative position, thereby exposing a belt-type harness restraint provided for physically restraining a child within the seat. Following use, the integral child seat can be stowed by lowering the headrest member and raising the seat member to their respective stowage positions concealed within the backrest. It is also common to utilize a latching mechanism for latching the integral child seat in its stowed position.
One prior art example discloses a seat belt system for restraining a vehicle occupant that includes a retractor, a first locking tongue, a second locking tongue and a buckle. The retractor includes a spool which is rotatable in a webbing winding direction and a webbing unwinding direction. The retractor further includes a lock bar which blocks rotation of the spool in the webbing unwinding direction when the lock bar is in a locking position. The first locking tongue is connected with one length of seat belt webbing. The second locking tongue is connected with another length of seat belt webbing. The buckle has a locking mechanism for locking the first and second tongues and in a buckle. The seat belt system further includes an actuator for moving the lock bar in the retractor into the locking position in response to locking of the first and second tongues and in the buckle. The actuator moves the lock bar into the locking position only in response to locking of both the first and second tongues and in the buckle. Unfortunately, this prior art example does not stow within the bottom portion of an existing seat, thus the back rest is uncomfortable for use by an adult.
Another prior art example shows an integral child restraint seat having selected portions lined with an energy absorbing material. When a child occupant strikes and/or loads into the child seat, a portion of the total energy dissipated is absorbed by the energy absorbing material. Thus, the overall energy absorbed by the child occupant is reduced. The integral child seat also provides a unique seat latching arrangement including a pliable member that extends from the seat member and operatively engages a stationary portion of the child seat to latch the seat member in a stowed position. This pliable member also provides an integral protective cover that extends from the seat member and covers a portion of the vehicular seat, thereby preventing the vehicular seat from becoming soiled. Unfortunately, this pliable member is uncomfortable during use by an adult, and also does not match the existing upholstery of the seat, thereby presenting a mismatched appearance.
Accordingly, a need remains for a vehicle child seat in order to overcome the above-noted shortcomings. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing an assembly that is convenient and easy to use, is lightweight yet durable in design, and allows a child and an adult to interchangeably occupy a common seat area. The assembly provides parents and caregivers with a means of keeping an infant safely restrained when traveling in a vehicle. Such an assembly is integrated into the design of a vehicle seat, thus ensuring secure and sound installation. A heavy duty, three-point safety harness ensures that an infant is securely restrained at all times, and effectively prevents the child from being thrown from the seat in case of sudden stops or collisions.